Abstraction? Minimalism? The responsibility for the interpretation of an artwork lies no longer with the artist but with the spectator.
In general, contemporary art is mainly characterized by its abstract and minimalist motifs and styles. However, that is not the only thing that makes contemporary art so different from traditional art. For a few decades now, multidisciplinary and collective aspects have also become part of the art being created today.
What really sets contemporary art apart is that the pursuit of creating beyond the rules is considered the norm. The irony is that this point of view becomes a kind of tradition in itself. Because by going back to the norm of non-conformity, artists establish a new form of artistic expression that thrives on innovation and challenges the boundaries of what is conventionally accepted.
But this does not say much about the style and technique of contemporary art, as it has its own form. This form often has its foundation in modern art movements such as cubism and art nouveau.
The general characteristics that define contemporary art:
- Concept: The idea behind the artwork is central, often above the aesthetic qualities of the art object itself. The concept or story has always been important and part of the artwork, but in recent decades, it has gained more value as a standalone element.
- Form: The freedom to experiment has resulted not only in paintings and sculptures being exhibited but also in the rise of installations, collections of objects, or adorned spaces.
- Motif: The reason for creating art in contemporary art often lies in breaking boundaries and taboos or addressing something societal. But not always. Due to abstraction, an artist chooses not to disclose part of the underlying motif.
- Interactivity: Whereas art was once something that could not be touched due to its aesthetic value, today’s art is much more accessible, provided the artist desires it. We, the spectators, are more often part of the artwork, thanks to the technology and materials used.
Why Artists Choose Abstraction
Abstraction essentially means that the definition is not (clearly) visible in what is presented to you. In art, what remains are primarily colors, lines, and textures that suggest something but are not recognizable as something substantial.
‘It will not be long before we achieve the same with abstraction as we currently do with reality.’
Imitating reality and incorporating it into a work of art requires a certain kind of craftsmanship. If this is lacking at a certain level of detail or depth, something can quickly be seen as sloppy or even ‘bad.’ In abstract art, there are no traditional boundaries, allowing the freedom to express your own style in any way.
Artists like Kandinsky and Rothko went ‘full abstract’ in their paintings for the first time at the beginning of the 20th century, which also generated considerable criticism. That was, of course, secretly the desired reaction of abstract artists.
Minimalism: until there is nothing left
A characteristic of today’s art is that the absence of elements is considered more important than adding them. Not always, of course, but especially in recent years, this minimalistic approach has become very popular among artists and the public.
Why? Partly due to the increasing aversion to materialism in the West. The excessive need for things and the waste it brings with it play a role for more and more people, which also works as inspiration for artwork.
‘Minimalism is not a flattening of everything but rather a disciplined attention to what is really important.’
Making statements
The desire to address something societal in a unique way is what distinguishes contemporary art. With that, you could say that there is always an attempt to make a statement, to challenge society, rather than portray it in an aesthetic form.
Today’s Art: Anti-Tradition
As described earlier, the emphasis is primarily on moving as far away as possible from the traditional approach. Not because this is considered ugly, but because ‘trying something new’ is now equated with being a good artist.
Clinging desperately to old rules and techniques because it’s a tradition no longer fits into the mindset of this time.
- Because holding onto conservative views is associated with stagnation and limitation, a logical response is to push the boundaries.
That’s why contemporary and modern art are seen as a countermovement to traditional art. The omission of definition and the adherence to hyper-realistic standards characterize it, as contemporary art is often the opposite of a realistic approach in motif and style.
Marcel Duchamp, the artist behind the upside-down urinal, said this about it:
“I was against standard aesthetics. I wanted to do something that was visually shocking, to wake up the art world.”
The use of technology in today’s art
This century is characterized by exponential changes in technology, and we are increasingly noticing the effect it has on us as humans and the earth itself. Due to the freedom of materials and diversity in contemporary art, the temptation is too great not to use photography, video, or sound effects.
Of course, it depends on the style and vision of an artist to tread this path. Sometimes the technology used is groundbreaking in its aesthetics, but often it works as support for a statement.
Experimenting with Interactive Objects
The exhibition ‘The Weather Project,’ created by artist Olafur Eliasson, was where artificial sun and mist machines could experience a sunset indoors. Spectators could see their own reflection amidst the mist.
The idea behind such an interactive setup is that the audience becomes part of the artwork, which is also necessary to give it value. This also breaks the idea that art is only something to look at and should not be touched.
Child’s Play or a Masterpiece?
The minimalist approach is not an interesting masterpiece for everyone to look at. Especially for enthusiasts of the old masters, where precision and definition serve as guides, today’s art is sometimes even a mockery of what one may call art.
It is, therefore, a good consideration not to compare art from different periods from an aesthetic standpoint.
“Most people looking at my paintings say, ‘Oh, I could do that.’ But everyone can’t. And very few understand it.”
Over the centuries, beauty has been found in simplicity, where symmetry and proportions often play a significant role. Therefore, the artist’s originality is what can make a piece of art a masterpiece. How this originality is determined is often a combination of factors, which is almost impossible to predict beforehand.
Conclusion
In short, contemporary art is an artistic period where everything is considered possible in terms of diversity of material and motif, but it should adhere to a very narrow set of characteristics. Specifically, the spectator is largely responsible for the interpretation.
Or at least, they are asked to think for themselves about what the underlying message or statement could mean.
